


The Fourth Return of Kara Thrace

by useyourlove



Series: The Five Returns of Kara Thrace [4]
Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-07
Updated: 2011-12-07
Packaged: 2017-10-27 00:59:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/289833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/useyourlove/pseuds/useyourlove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lee can't wait to get Kara in his arms. Takes place just during "He That Believeth in Me."</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fourth Return of Kara Thrace

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [the_applecart](http://the-applecart.livejournal.com) [Challenge 002](http://the-applecart.livejournal.com/1886.html). Originally posted [here](http://the-applecart.livejournal.com/1886.html?thread=109662#t109662). [Also posted on LJ at wartytoads](http://wartytoads.livejournal.com/9438.html).

This time it's different. This time when she's come back from the dead she really is truly back from the dead. The actual, factual, non-breathing, non-living dead. That's a first. He can't breathe. There's plenty of O2 in his tanks but he can't breathe. This can't be real. This isn't happening.

"You're dead."

"That a challenge?"

"You were gone."

"I always come back, Apollo," she laughs over the comm and it sends a shock up his spine.

Her voice... the way she's flying. It's a trick. She's dead. She's dead. He thought maybe, _maybe_ he was starting to move on. Maybe he was _ready_ to move on. But here she is beside him and he knows that was all a lie. He could just as soon quit breathing oxygen as stop needing her.

He wants to jump into space, crash his Viper into hers just so he can be nearer to her, but that's not advisable unless he wants them both dead. Again. He wants to fly beside her, whisking through the stardust like Aquarian seals. He wants his heart to sing the way it used to when he fought with her or frakked with her or flew with her. He mostly just wants her in his arms. Just to prove that she's real and not some whacked out hallucination that he's cooked up for himself.

They duck and weave, bob and twirl. It's Starbuck-- _Starbuck_ \--in that Viper. It couldn't be anyone else. No one else in the universe can fly like her. He feels like he needs to claw at his chest to give his heart more room to beat. He thinks he might throw up. The fight around them looks dire. The Cylons are overwhelming. But he'll be frakked if he's going to die before he holds her again.

And then, inexplicably, the Cylons are gone. And everyone pulls in for landings.

He's surprised he can even land his bird, his hands are shaking so badly. He's surprised he doesn't just crash and burn and shoot out of the cockpit with the eject button just to get free of the frustrating cage of metal and glass. He's tugging at his helmet, shoving at the canopy, scrambling onto the ladder that's not even in place yet. His helmet goes flying as he makes a leap for it. He doesn't give a frak. The gloves come off as he trips in bounds down the steps, landing awkwardly on the deck before taking off at a full sprint in her direction. He's shoving people out the way--uncaring--until those left between him and her realize what's happening and step aside to not get trampled.

And then he scoops her up and holds her to him, fusing her against him. And she's real. And she's here. And she's solid and in his arms. And he won't ever let her go.


End file.
